Pump for vacuum-cleaners.



J. SGHIRRA.

PUMPYFOR VACUUM CLEANERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1910.

1,095,236; Patented May 5, 1914.

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' J. SGHIRRA.

PUMP FOR VACUUM GLBANERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1910.

1,095,236, Patented May 5, 1914-.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JULIUS SCHIRRA, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 J. G. FORSTER & SGN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COPARTNEBSHIP COMPOSED OF J. C.

FORSTER AND JOHN L. FORS'IER.

PUMP FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS.

noaaese.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed November 3, 1910. Serial No. 590,427.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS Sonnum, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, East End, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumps for Vacuum-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to that type adapted to be operated by hand for cleansing carpets, rugs, draperies, and allarticles and surfaces about a house or office, the cleaner being especially designed as a household article that permits of a housewife manipulating the cleaner with greater ease and rapidity than a carpet sweeper or broom.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a cleaner of the above type that is simple, durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and eflicient for removing dirt from a surface, without raising the dust or injuring the surface from which the dirt is removed.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a hand-operated vacuum cleaner with a detachable dirt receptacle that can be easily removed and emptied.

With these and such other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the same. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a series of the supporting rings of the bellows, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same showing the rings in a telescoped position, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the vacuum cleaner. Fig; 4 is a view of the rear end of the cleaner. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a detached bellows supporting ring. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the same, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the cleaner showing the manner of connecting the dirt receptacle thereto.

A cleaner in accordance'with this invention comprises a forward head 1 and a rear head 2, the forward head 1 is provided with an annular depression or groove 3 adjacent to its rear edge, and the rear head 2 is provided with a similar depression or groove 4 adjacent to its forward edge. Secured in the grooves 3 and 4 by retaining bands or wlres 5 are the ends of a bellows, compris' ing a collapsible bag or casing 6 normally retained in a cylindrical form by supporting r1ngs 7 riveted or otherwise connected to the inner side of the casing 6, as at 8. The rear head 2 is semi-spherical and adjacent to one edge thereof is provided with an opening 9 surrounded by a collar 10 having the walls thereof screw threaded, as at 11, to receive the threaded end of a tubular telescopic rod 12, the opposite end of said rod having a suitable handle 13. The telescopic rod 12 is adapted to slide upon a rod 14 extending through the opening 9 into the bellows, said rod having the inner end thereof riveted or otherwise fixed, as at 14, in a socket 15 soldered or otherwise connected, as at 16, to the rear edge of the forward head 1. The supporting rings 7 are provided with inverted U-shaped guides 17 these guides extending over the rod 14 and guiding the bellows upon said rod. The same rivets employed for securing the rings 7 to the cas ing 6 can be employed for securing the guides 17 in position.

The rear head 2 at a point removed from the opening 9 is provided with a large segment-shaped opening 18 and adjacent to saidopening are two pivoted oppositely disposed bolts 19, the bolts being pivotally connected to lugs 20 arranged upon the inner side of the head 2 and extending through slots 21 provided therefor in said head. The bolts 19 are adapted to swing into the slotted flanged edges 22 of a semi-cylindrical dirt receptacle 23, said receptacle having the forward end thereof shaped to conform to the contour of the rear head 2. Ordinary wing thumb nuts 24 are screwed upon the pivoted bolts 19 to lock the receptacle in engagement with said head, said bolts and nuts simply constituting a hold-fast device for detachably connecting the receptacle 23 to the head 2. Pivotally mounted in the receptable 23 is a gate or flap valve 25, said valve being pivotally connected to a de-* The forward head 1 has the forward endthereof reduced and exterior-1y screw threaded, as at 28, and screwed upon the reduced end of said head is a substantially funnel-shaped mouth-piece 29, and detachably connected to the funnel-shaped mouthpiece 29 by screw threads or other means 30 is a flared suction head 31, said head having a slit or slot 32 and a transverse rib 33 that retains the suction head a prescribed distance above the surface over which it is moved. Pivotally mounted within the fun nel-shaped mouth-piece 29 is a gate or flap valve 34, said valve being pivotally connected to a lug 35, carried by the inner side of the mouth-piece 29, and limited in its movement by a lug 36 carried by the bottom of the mouth-piece. The inner side of the flap valve 34 has a suitable hand-grip or handle 37, whereby the flap valve can be easily swung to an open position after the mouth-piece 29 is removed from the head 1.

Surrounding the bellows is a cylindrical outer shell or casing 38 having the forward end thereof secured to the head 1, as at 39, and the rear end thereof provided with a detachable head 40, said head having an opening 41 providing clearance for the dirt receptacle 23, and an opening 42 providing clearance for the telescopic rod 12, said opening being provided with an inwardly projecting sleeve 43 to surround and guide the rod 12.

In operation, a forward movement of the telescopic rod 12 upon the rod 14 collapses the flexible casing 6, causing the air within the casing to close the flap valve 34, open the flap valve 25 of the receptacle 23 and force what dirt is within the flexible casing 6 into the dirt receptacle 23. When the telescopic rod 12 is moved rearwardly upon the rod 14 toextend the flexible casing 6 to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a vacuum is immediately produced within the casing and the flap valve 34 is opened, causing a suction at the forward end of the head 31 which is of suflicient intensity as to draw dirt, dust, and small particles of matter upwardly through the head 31, through the mouth-piece 29 into the casing 6, and a forward stroke of the telescopic rod 12 immediately closes the valve 34 and forces the dirt into the receptacle 23.

Since the suction head 31 is detachable, various kinds of heads can be used for cleansing various kinds of surfaces. The outer casing or shell 38 is simply employed to shield and protect the bellows and in some instances it can be dispensed. with. In making the dirt receptacle 23 detachable, it can 'be removed and readily cleansed. The bellows can be made of light and durable fabric, the rod 14 of wood, the remaining parts of metal or any other suitable material.

While in the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof are susceptible to such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

It will be seen as illustrated in Figs. 2" and 2 of the drawings that the supporting rings are so formed as to snugly nest .one within the other permitting the bellows to completely collapse when deflated. A special advantage is thus obtained as will be readily understood as the rings will permit the bellows to be drawn together more compactly, and a greater suction can thus be produced.

What I claim, is:

1. In vacuum cleaning apparatus, a casing having a forwardlyextending funnel-shaped mouth-piece carrying an inwardlyopening valve, a suction device in rear of said valve and including a collapsible section. a casing of fixed dimensions iiiclosing said device. a member extending through the rear wall of said inclosing casing for moving the device, and a support for and extending through said member and having its forward end secured to the mouthpiece casing in advance of the collapsible portion of said section, whereby the inclosing casing will be free from strains during movements of the apparatus.

2. In vacuum-cleaning apparatus, a funnel-shaped mouth-piece carrying an inwardly-opening valve, a suction device in rear of said valve and including a collapsible section, a casing of fixed dimensions inclosing said device, said casing being scoured to the mouth-piece, a member extending through the rear wall of said casing and forming an actuating element for said device, and a support axially alined with said member and on which the latter is movable, said support having its forward end fixed to said mouth-piece in advance of the collapsible portion of said section, said support projecting beyond the rear end of said member and forming a handle for the apparatus, said handle placing the strains of apparatus movement upon the mouthpiece, whereby the casing will be retained free from such strains.

3. In vacuum-cleaning apparatus, a mouthpiece having an inwardly-opening valve, a suction device in rear of said valve and including a reciprocating element, and a handle member on which said element is movable, said handle being secured to said mouth-piece and being positioned off-center with respect to the axis of the suction device.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having a forwardly-extending funnel-shaped mouth piece carrying an inwardly-opening valve, a suction device in rear of said valve and including a collapsible section, a casing of fixed dimensions inclosing said suction device, a member for moving said device within the casing, said member extending through the rear wall of said casing, and a supporting member extending into the collapsible section and having its forward end secured against longitudinal movement relative to the mouth piece, said supporting member being adapted to carry the suction device moving member, said collapsible section having internal rings adapted to ride on said supporting member during the movements of the section.

In vacuum-cleaning apparatus, a mouthpiece having an inwardly opening valve, a suction device in rear of said valve and including a reciprocating element, a casing of fixed dimensions into which said element extends, and a handle member on which said element is movable, said handle being secured to said mouth-piece and being positioned oif-center with respect to the axis of said casing.

6. In vacuum-cleaning apparatus, a mouthpiece having an inwardly opening valve, a

suction device in rear of said Valve and including a collapsible section with a reciprocating member for operating said section, and a handle member on which said reciprocating member is movable, said handle member being secured to the mouth-piece and being positioned off-center with respect to the axis of the collapsible section.

7 In vacuum-cleaning apparatus, a mouthpiece having an inwardly-opening valve, a

suction device in rear of said valve and including a collapsible section with a reciprocating member for operating the section, and a handle member on which the reciprocating member is movable, said handle member being secured to the mouth-piece and being positioned ofi-center with respect to the axis of the collapsible section, said section having means cooperating with the handle to support the section during its movements.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS SGHIRRA.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, J. C. FORSTER.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

